Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that supporting children’s spoken language development is part of the forthcoming schools White Paper.

The schools white paper will set out the department’s long-term vision for schools with a focus on achieving world-class numeracy and literacy, of which oral language development is integral. Too many children and young people still move to the next phase of education or employment without the fundamental standards in literacy and numeracy they need to reach their full potential. Too many of these are from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

We will achieve this by ensuring we have excellent teachers, trained in the very best literacy and numeracy approaches, in all areas of the country. We will support our teachers to deliver high standards for all pupils in every classroom, including supporting behaviour and attendance. This will work alongside targeted support for those furthest behind due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Underpinning this, we will ensure a stronger school system, with every school able to access the support they need to improve. The schools white paper will consider the links between early years and primary education as critical stages to children’s development in oracy and spoken language.

We expect to publish the schools white paper in early 2022.